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How to Build Your Jewelry Wardrobe

Mmm, jewelry… those small, shiny trinkets that bring joy to our hearts and sparkle to our outfits. Almost every girl’s eyes shine at the idea of adding a new piece of bling to their collection. And if you want to learn more about how to build your jewelry wardrobe, you’re in the right spot!

Jewels have long been coveted and admired, a highly desirable type of accessories for young and old, rich and poor. But which ones are actually worth adding to your repertoire? How to walk that sweet middle line that ensures you have enough baubles to survive all social occasions, without going overboard so much so that you even forget what you own?

The classics

Just as you have classic pieces of clothing that you wear again and again without getting bored, the same can be said about your accessories. There are a few staples worth securing before moving on to the fun stuff.

I would start with a pair of studs- be they real diamonds or cubic zirconia, pearls or simple silver/gold. They will help you every morning when you can’t decide what to wear. And for when you can’t be bothered with anything too flashy.

Next I would add a simple necklace to the list. A couple of elegant brooches that can be worn in many different ways (as I showed you here). A classic watch and a few minimalist rings that can be mixed and matched without making you look cluttered.

The whimsical

After you’ve secured the classics, it’s time to add some spice and excitement to your jewelry wardrobe. Whimsical baubles are key for that “wow” reaction you want to sometimes elicit.

Now’s the time to throw caution to the wind and indulge in a pair of chandelier earrings or an earcuff. Reach for big bold hair accessories- maybe even a fascinator clip. And pick some spectacular cocktail rings. These will be the perfect addition to your evening gowns, cocktail dresses and wedding guest outfits.

Depending on where you want to draw attention, you can choose a few areas to highlight with bold accessories. But definitely not all of them at once! Choose a beaded headband and a pair of teardrop earrings. Or opt for a bejewelled belt and a stack of shimmery bracelets. Or maybe a pair of peacock feather earrings and an opulent onyx cocktail ring.

The statement

Each and every one of us could do with a piece of jewelry that makes her feel like a boss, an amazon, Wonder Woman ready to take over the world. And plenty of us incorporate these pieces into our outfits already. We wear them as a beautiful and shiny armour for whenever we need to impress (especially ourselves).

Maybe you like to wear a masculine inspired watch that makes your wrist look delicate and strong at the same time. Or perhaps you choose a pair of wide cuff bracelets to draw attention to that same area- I didn’t mention Wonder Woman for nothing. Or a bold but tasteful necklace to layer on top of a crisp cut shirt topped by a tailored jacket.

All these items have one thing in common- they exude confidence, power, refinement and calm. They complete the image of a woman in control, who can silence a whole room with her mere presence. And while we maybe don’t feel like that every day, it definitely helps to have a few trusty allies in our jewelry boxes for when we want to.

The sentimental

I believe we all have certain pieces of jewelry that hold immense sentimental value to us. Maybe it’s the wedding ring that you never take off, the braided bracelet you bought from a street market in Argentina or the pair of diamond earrings you received as a graduation gift from your parents. They all speak of a certain moment or period in your life that defined you, that left deep marks in your heart and beautiful memories in your mind.

Perhaps you smile every time you take that old pair of earrings from your grandma out of their box. Or your eyes gleam when you add a new birthday charm to your favorite bracelet. Either way, these are the pieces that you will keep for a lifetime. And maybe you will even leave as heritage, because their meaning is too profound to part with them.

The crazy trend

The crazy trend is the long lost relative of The Whimsical. It’s basically that super fun but impractical item. The one that has a few memorable outings but that you will get tired of pretty quickly. And I wouldn’t suggest you invest heaps in these items, because as it usually happens with trends, they fade away.

However, if you’ve secured all your main categories, feel free to have a fling with a garishly loud pair of earrings. They will be perfect for when you’re sipping cocktails at your favorite busy terrace! Buy that pretty but useless bejewelled body chain for a crazy girls night out! Reach for a tassel ankle bracelet for when you head out to the beach. After all, summer is just around the corner- and isn’t that when we tend to revel in all the colourful and blingy trinkets?

So my dears, as you can see, I once again advocate the middle way. A healthy mix of more classic investment items and of fun, trendy pieces can usually satisfy even the pickiest among us. And it will have you covered for any occasion.

The best part is you can go as expensive or as cheap as you want with your jewelry, seeing how many beautiful costume options there are on the market these days. Don’t feel like you can’t enjoy gorgeous options just because you don’t have a huge budget, or are unwilling to spend a lot of money on accessories.

I hope you enjoyed reading the article and glossing over my pictures of baubles. Go ahead and let me know in the comments if you are accessory lovers, if you buy loads of jewelry or if you have already curated your trinkets closet.

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18 Comments

Oh man, I pretty much wear no jewelry – I wear the same necklace every day (and haven’t taken it off since Nov 12 — my husband gave it to me for our wedding)… And my wedding ring- ha! The only other thing I wear is a ring on my right hand… That my mom gave me about 6 or 7 years ago!

Fair enough, you seem like an adept of the “less is more” philosophy. But just looking at the jewelry you listed, I couldn’t help but notice that they were given to you by very close people in your life. I imagine they have quite a significant emotional value 🙂

These are all really good tips. I wear my wedding rings and a pair of stud earrings daily but I only have a few statement necklaces that I can wear with most outfits. Jewelry is the last thing I think about when I’m getting ready each morning so it’s often the thing I don’t bother with.

You know, I do hear this a lot, jewelry tends to fall dead last on the getting-ready-in the morning priority list. Which is why I thought a post on simplifying it might be useful 🙂 Really happy you enjoyed it!

Thank you so much! I totally get that, I just had a thorough clear out of all my old ones that were neither here nor there- in the end, a piece of string bracelet can have more meaning than a diamond one, but it’s also just as easy to end up with a jumble of bits and pieces you don’t even remember. Hope you find some truly amazing items!

Meet The Blogger

Salut, and welcome to my style blog! I’m Silvia, a Romanian living in the ever exciting city of Amsterdam. This blog came out of passion for inspiring women to express their inner world to the outside one through their personal style.